Posted on: Friday, July 14, 2006
Back to school bargain-hunting
By Zenaida Serrano
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Megan Ishii, 9, who attends Manoa Elementary School, shops for school supplies with her mother, Bernadette Castillo.
Photos by DEBORAH BOOKER | The Honolulu Advertiser
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NEW SCHOOL YEAR, MORE SCHOOL STUFF
Here's a sampling of required school supplies at a Windward area elementary school: √ book covers √ pencils √ colored pencils √ compass √ 24-count crayons √ soft eraser √ facial tissue √ glue √ highlighter √ index cards √ colored markers √ wide-ruled folder paper √ paper towels √ ballpoint pen √ portfolio √ protractor √ ruler √ scissors √ sponges √ composition tablet
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Plan your assault! Shop wisely and get creative.
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Don't let the annual ritual of buying school supplies overwhelm you. Here are three ways to help you stretch your dollar.
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Bernadette Castillo decided to tackle her daughter's list of required school supplies by hitting Wal-Mart, Longs Drugs and Office Depot in one afternoon.
While the Kane'ohe mom bargain-hunted for the most part, she splurged a little on a fancy notebook for her fourth-grader at their final shopping destination.
"I prefer buying cheap, less- expensive (supplies)," said Castillo, 39, who spent about $60 during her shopping trip earlier this week.
Castillo is among thousands of parents statewide gearing up for the new school year. And the cost of an eraser here and a box of crayons there can easily add up, especially for families with several children in school.
"It can be so expensive," said Rosey Potts, a mother of seventh- and ninth-grade girls.
The Kailua resident, 43, tries to spend less than $30 per child for supplies — clothing and uniforms are another story — by being a smart shopper.
To help families stick to a reasonable back-to-school budget, parents and experts share money-saving ideas.
3-POINT STRATEGY | BACK TO BARGAIN-HUNTING
1. Shop wisely with list in hand
After taking inventory of the supplies you already have and figuring out what's still needed, children and parents should set a back-to-school budget together, recommends Visa's Practical Money Skills for Life Program (www.practicalmoneyskills.com). Other tips from the organization:
Follow the budget spending limit. Stress (to kids) that getting one more expensive item might mean sacrificing something else, the Web site notes.
Find ways to save with your children: Clip coupons, look for sales early and comparison shop to avoid impulse-buying or paying for overpriced items.
"I normally carry the (school supplies) list with me at all times," added Jennifer Metrose, whose daughter will be in the first grade.
So when the Royal Kunia resident, 37, is on a shopping errand and happens to run across a bargain, she knows exactly what and how many to buy.
Consider shopping sans children, who often want all the cool — and pricey — school supplies. "If you're on a budget, I would suggest not to bring your child to a place ... with a lot of designer or fancy (supplies)," said Castillo, who admits she often caves in to her only child's wants.
"I have no willpower," Castillo said and laughed.
After shopping, label your child's belongings — every pencil, crayon and marker — recommends iParenting. If you don't, they may end up in the collective batch at school, and so will your money.
2. Get creative with reusables
A big money-saver for Metrose will be reusing many of last year's purchases, including folders, pencils and crayons.
"Anything that's leftover from last year, I'm definitely going to use again," Metrose said. "A lot of people get sucked into buying brand-new things."
Potts also has reused backpacks and colored markers, which her youngest daughter has had since she was in the first grade.
"We do it all the time," Potts said.
But recycled doesn't have to mean boring. Breathe new life into old supplies with these crafty tricks from iParenting (preschoolerstoday.com) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
Cover old vinyl binders with pictures from magazines and brush on a clear decoupage sealant, available at craft stores.
Reuse artwork or recycle gift wrap or colored comic pages to cover books. Or cover textbooks with grocery or shopping bags. Color covers with fun designs.
Recycle paper. Paper with writing on only one side can be reused; staple them together to make a notebook.
3. Think green: Be good steward of Earth, items owned
While you're in a shopping state of mind, try to be an eco-conscious consumer, suggests the EPA:
Waste from packaging accounts for more than 30 percent of all the waste generated each year. Use school supplies wrapped with minimal packaging; use compact or concentrated products; or buy products that come in bulk sizes. Also, save packaging — as well as colored paper, egg cartons and other items — for arts and crafts projects.
Maintain newly purchased items. Students frequently lose small items such as pens and pencils. Make a conscious effort to put school supplies in a safe place every day. This will not only reduce waste, but it will save you a headache if you lose something important.
Use and maintain durable products, or ones with a lifetime warranty. Sturdy backpacks and notebooks can be reused for many years, which helps reduce the amount of broken items tossed away each year.
Look, when possible, for products made from recycled products. You can also reuse items such as refillable pens and rechargeable batteries.
Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.
